Dakota Recreation Report for Dec. 23, 2019

Outdoor notes:

*Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice.

*Use caution with dogs when hunting around frozen wetlands for cuts from ice, breaking through, etc.

*Dec. 27: Missouri River Canada goose zone closes.

*Dec. 28: Devils Lake Christmas Bird Count. Meet at Cedar Inn Restaurant, 7:30 a.m.

*Dec. 29: High Plains duck, merganser, and coot season closes.

*Dec. 29: Light goose and tundra swan season closes.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Dec. 16: 1,448.9 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.83 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,839.12 MSL; 16,200 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Increasing activity on Devils Lake with best access via ATVs because ice conditions vary greatly. Limited success yet, however. Not much activity on east-central area lakes although Clear Lake producing a few perch and small walleye.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Some perch success on the west side of Stump Lake yet and Black Tiger Bay on Devils Lake. Try 35 feet along the bottom in Black Tiger Also try the old roadbed in Black Tiger Bay. Some pike success using tip-ups or spearing along Walford’s Bay and other west side Devils Lake bays. Feeder lakes continue producing walleye but drill several because poor clarity isn’t making anything consistent for walleye.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Some ATV access on Devils Lake with occasional walleye along the north end of 6-Mile Bay. Try Stump Lake for perch.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Fair pike spearing success on Creel Bay. Try the flats and Creel Bay for walleye.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort: Devils Lake ice conditions are just starting to allow angler access but use caution with extremely variable ice. Some walleye and perch activity at Creel Bay and other bays but reports are still limited as anglers are slowly starting to head onto the lake.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Some activity on area lakes but limited reports yet.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Increasing activity throughout area lakes, although Jamestown Reservoir access remains closed. Anglers are out on ATVs with portables on area lakes.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Watch access around the Ashtabula Crossing with slush in some areas. Anglers accessing with ATVs and snowmobiles and be sure to test the ice. Look for some nice perch success. Try small jigs or wax worms. Some walleye farther down in the lake.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Fair walleye success on the east end of Lake Audubon but use caution because of variable ice.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace continues producing walleye at night and in early morning dark hours from both boats and shore. Try crankbaits from shore. No wing wall activity.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Clear Lake producing nice walleye success but limited reports from other area lakes.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Access remains closed.

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Lots of activity with some perch success.

Hunting:

*Predator: Coyote prices remain fair yet.

*Upland: Look for fair pheasant numbers yet in areas but work cover with cattails and shelterbelts or along field edges when they’re feeding.

*Waterfowl: Some geese still remain on the open water of Lake Sakakawea on the east end but most either moved south or down onto open water of the Missouri River. Geese are coming off late around the tailrace but a little earlier farther down river.

N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. cross-country ski trails:

*Turtle River, Arvilla: Trails open with Fisher, Whitetail, and Timber loops groomed for skiing. Other ungroomed trails in good condition for snowshoeing and hiking. Sledding hill in good condition.

Numbers to know:

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, main Bismarck office: (701) 328-6300, website: (http://gf.nd.gov).

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, Devils Lake office: (701) 662-3617.

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, Jamestown office: (701) 253-6480.

*Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121 or (701) 328-9921.